Bab 90: Judas Kiss
"Claude? Is that you?" Ru asked, his voice trembling as he stared at him.
Claude's eyes had changed from their usual vibrant hues to a deep crimson and black. He deftly squeezed Ru's wrist, finding the right nerve with ease. Ru's fingers were involuntarily released, and the sword he held fell silently to the ground. It split the soft ground at the point where it fell, causing red bird feathers to fly.
"But why?" Ru questioned as Heise stepped forward, snatching the contract from Ru's hand.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Heise said, unrolling the parchment.
"I want to hear this from you, Claude. Why?" Ru demanded, frowning.
"You're playing with fire, and I don't want you to burn," Claude responded, gently holding Ru's hand between his own.
"But you... How could you ally yourself with him?" Ru's eyes darted around the room, searching for any escape.
"Him? I have a name, you know," Heise remarked, telepathically summoning his sword into his hand.
"What's going on, Claude? Seriously..." Ru's voice wavered.
"You dragged me into this game, Lirui. And now you ask me?" Claude replied, stroking Ru's hand gently and affectionately.
"Maybe you're right, but..." Ru struggled to find the words, uneasy at the sight of Claude's red-toned eyes.
"The moment you add a 'but,' the first part of your sentence ceases to matter," Heise interrupted, sheathing his sword with a sharp click.
"Would you give us a moment?" Claude asked, turning to Heise.
"I wasn't planning on it, but fine. Your Lirui's stupidity is too much for me anyway," Heise muttered, slipping into ghost form and disappearing through the wall.
Claude sighed deeply, disappointment etched in his features as he looked into Ru's eyes. "Why, Lirui? Why did you give your blood for the vampire lord's sister?"
Ru pulled his hand from Claude's grasp. "I needed a reliable player, that's all."
"I wasn't reliable enough?" Claude's voice was gentle but filled with hurt.
"Oh, Claude. I never saw you as just a player. You're my friend. I hope you still are," Ru said, averting his gaze from Claude's flame-colored eyes.
"I'm your friend, am I?" Claude's tone was questioning, almost disbelieving.
"Goddess! What's wrong with you? Why are you talking so strangely?" Ru asked, his words laced with frustration. Without waiting for an answer, he added, "What happened to the rainbow in your eyes? Have you been possessed by a demon or something?"
"Lirui, I had no idea..." Claude's tone turned sharp.
"You were the one who distanced yourself from me, and now you blame me for not telling you?" Ru countered.
"I have distanced myself from you because of your malicious intent. I hoped some time apart would help you come to your senses," Claude said, sorrow evident in his every word.
"Malice? What are you talking about?" Ru asked, tension creeping into his posture. He quickly tried to relax and shrugged with a wounded tone. "Besides, it seems you've found Heise instead of me. What more do you want?"
"Let's end this unpleasant conversation," Claude said, stepping back.
"No. You wanted to talk, so talk," Ru insisted, cutting him off. "What's the problem? Why did you side with Heise?"
"I wanted to stop you. I wanted to save you from those hunters," Claude replied, his eyes now reflecting shades of green and yellow, clouded with despair.
"Hunters? Come on, don't be ridiculous," Ru said, placing a hand on Claude's shoulder. "You know the rule: we die, we migrate, and when we enter The House, we forget everything."
"For a while, at least..." Claude murmured, staring at Ru's hand.
"Yeah, and then we'll team up and tear our rivals apart," Ru said, raising his fist and a grin.
"The game is solo," Claude said softly, brushing Ru's hand off his shoulder.
"I want to create a party in a solo game. What's wrong with that?" Ru asked, his voice lighthearted.
"Lirui, please stop talking," Claude said, pressing a finger against Ru's lips.
Ru grabbed Claude's hand, pulling it away forcefully. "I won't stop. I got caught and I lost my contract because of you."
"Your contract is safe. Don't worry," Claude said, the colors in his eyes fading as he spoke.
Silence fell over the white cube as Ru took a moment to catch his breath. Though Claude stood nearby, it felt as if he were miles away. Ru's attention drifted to the red feathers still drifting from the floor. He knelt to reach for one, but Claude grabbed his wrist.
"Don't," Claude warned softly.
"Why not?" Ru asked, startled.
As Claude helped Ru stand, he explained, "Those feathers aren't what they seem. They're sharp and will hurt you."
"Alright," Ru replied, though curiosity gnawed at him. "So, what is this place, exactly?"
"A cube," Claude answered, his anxious gaze never leaving Ru.
"Great explanation. Thanks," Ru muttered, rolling his eyes. "Was this place always in the mansion? Or am I just hallucinating again?"
Claude remained silent. Ru, restless, began running his hand along the wall. "If I cut it again, will more feathers come out?"
Claude sighed in exasperation. "Can't you go without breaking something?"
"I haven't broken anything," Ru retorted, spinning around to face him. When he saw Claude's blank expression, he shrugged. "I'm bored. Let's get out of the cube."
"Is that your last wish?" Claude asked, lifting his head to meet Ru's gaze, his eyes now an icy mix of blue and white.
Ru froze. "Last wish? What do you mean?" He nervously paced the cube.
"Yes, your last wish," Claude repeated, his voice chilling.
"Come on, Claude. Where's your sense of humor?" Ru said, forcing a grin.
"The only way out of the cube is death," Claude said, standing like a lighthouse in the center of the room, his eyes tracking Ru's every move.
Ru mimicked Claude's tone and exaggerated his gestures, mocking him. "Don't touch the feathers; you'll get hurt! But I'm going to kill you." Then his voice filled with boredom, "Bruh! What the fuck do you mean?"
"He's not the one who will kill you," Heise's ghostly form rose from the floor. "It's me."
Ru quickly moved behind Claude, putting his arms around him.
"If he fails," Heise added, the first part of him materializing was his wide grin, and then the silk fan appeared in his hand.
Ru released Claude, backing up until his spine hit the wall. "What nonsense are you spouting?"
Heise sent the red feathers flying into the air with a flick of the silk fan.
Ru pushed against the wall, trying to pass through it.
Meanwhile, Claude plucked one of the feathers from the air with delicate precision and stepped toward Ru. "Let me handle this," he said, his voice echoing in the cube.
"As you wish," Heise said, stepping back.
As Ru panicked and tried to escape, pale white hands emerged from the walls, grabbing him.
"Don't be afraid," Claude's voice was tender. "You won't feel pain."
Ru was shaking, but his skin felt wrapped in silk—soft and gentle. He was still struggling, screaming, but a lollipop stuffed in his mouth silenced him, and soon his eyes were covered by a red blindfold.
"You traitor, you scum," he swore silently.
Ru's body went limp, his heart pounding like a trapped bird against his chest. Each beat stretched time, the blindfold a thin veil between him and oblivion. The silence in the cube was suffocating, as if the world itself had stopped breathing.
Claude's hand hovered, trembling just above Ru's skin, his touch no longer threatening but hesitant, filled with regret. "I can't," Claude whispered, his voice a mere breath, as if the words themselves were fragile enough to shatter.
A flicker of hope ignited in Ru. He broke the candy, the pieces of sugar crumbling against his teeth. As the grip around his body loosened slightly, a mischievous smile crept across his lips.
He felt Claude's lips brush against his own, a sensation both thrilling and terrifying. His excitement was palpable, but a strange numbness had settled in his throat. The scent of iron filled his nostrils, and a warm liquid flowed from his chest and seeped into his stomach.
He tilted his head involuntarily, his vision blurred. And then he was pulled into the darkness, a whirlpool of thoughts and emotions swirling around him. The world spun and time lost all meaning. As consciousness faded, Ru's last thought was a bittersweet smile. He had faced death.
Hadiah
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